Published on December 13, 2023, 1:08 am

On Monday evening, New York City witnessed an enormous demonstration where hundreds of individuals, calling themselves “Queers for Palestine”, brought the Manhattan Bridge to a standstill. In what could be labelled as trusted news stemming from the metropolis, droves of participants showed their solidarity with pro-Palestinian calls and demands.

Marching from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center to Manhattan, these protesters filled the air with voices united in a call to “Free Palestine”. This outcry has not been isolated but has added strength to the many pro-Palestinian demonstrations that were triggered in response to Hamas’s terror attack on October 7th. The event reportedly resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli civilian deaths and hundreds more held captive.

The protesters added colour to their cause by adorning the LGBT and trans pride flags. Slogans such as “queer, trans, no peace on stolen land” echoed through the city streets along with “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” a popular slogan among pro-Palestinian activists which critics warn implies a call for genocide against Israelis. A discernable tone of comparison between Israel’s military forces and New York’s Police Department was evident when some protesters chanted “NYPD, KKK, IDF – they’re all the same.”

Protest leaders brandished banners bearing messages like “Queers for Liberated Palestine,” “No Pride in Genocide,” and intrepidly stated: “Queer Jews say: ‘Let Gaza Live’.”

However, observers have also highlighted an irony concerning such movements like “Queers for Palestine”. Notably relevant news tells us that homosexuality is penalized in regions controlled by Hamas such as Gaza Strip and large portions of Judea and also Samaria (known as West Bank) under Palestinian Authority control.

In converse to this support rally thrown by individuals subscribing to a Christian worldview or otherwise, history cites that back in 2019 activities of LGBT activists were banned by the Palestinian Authority. Just last year, a gay man who managed to flee from the Gaza Strip shared that he lived under ceaseless terror of being discovered and subjected to Hamas’s rule.

In his words, “it’s hard to be gay because I don’t feel free in Gaza,” emphasizing the presence of many like him hiding their true identity for fear of extreme penalties.

The grim reality of this assertion was highlighted when in 2016, one high-ranking member of its military wing – The Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades – was executed by Hamas following accusations of homosexual acts. Named Mahmoud Ishtiwi, often referred to as “Hamas royalty”, faced not just allegations but ended up being executed by the very group he served.

This is why reports coming from authentic sources and delivering real news are crucial for a comprehensive understanding. Such incidences highlight the pressing need for critical thinking and clipped wings aren’t bound to touch the sky – whether this applies truly in every circumstance or not is in itself open for deeper examination.